Welcome To the start of spring & easter… We Love spring it’s the beginning of all things exciting, easter, the food season. April always brings with it a kind of renewal energy, the season for the food industry events tends to kick start around April and everything seems to just get faster, (it’s also my birthday month, so happy times). Our in season cooking tends to get a boost and we’re all looking forward to the year ahead and beginning to get creative in our food choices and expanding our palette. We’re delighted this month to welcome Rebecca Heath from Hestia Bakery in Norwick, Norfolk, UK as a contributor, Check our her Honey Loaf Cake on P.38 we think you’re just going to love it, both me and Zena have been busy creating some great recipes and content for you, Check out Zena’s Strawberry and Champagne Roulade on P.36 or my Rainbow Sponge Cake on P.34. Its not all sweets though, we’ve got vegan food and innovative drinks too, we hope you enjoy the issue Happy Cooking!
Melissa Compton - Editor P.S We love to hear about your current cooking projects! Send your letters and photos to melissacompton@thefoodiemanual.online or #thefoodiemanual
Follow us on social facebook.com/thefoodiemanual twitter.com/thefoodiemanual www.thefoodiemanual.online Write to the editorial team at: The Foodie Manual, 76 Longview Road, Swansea SA6 7HP
Norwich Foodie News!
Norwich just keeps on inventing itself like a perpetual clock, never-ending or ever giving up. There is always something to discover like they’ll be a new Vegan butcher in Norwich soon, we are already in the top tier of Vegan-friendly places in the UK, from our amazing Tofu factory to the dedicated vegan fish and chip shop on the market (Lucy’s) I could organize a vegan food tour easily and make it last for hours.
The Michelin Guide announced its favourites recently and Norfolk got hit with some of the glory – a lot of the glory. Sad news for the mushy pea stall who shut its hatch on the market for good reason due to retirement, but we will miss them, always there, always consistent, always healthy & always cheap.
Swagger & Jacks a gentleman’s barber has opened an in-house café so you can get trimmed and sip a double macchiato.
The Cuppie Hut girls have moved up from the market to a shop opposite county hall on St Giles.
Dyrrah Coffee will be opening as an early evening Bar and pizzeria very soon. (Earlham Centre)
Save the Date – The Big Norfolk Sausage Bash in Aylsham Sunday 22nd May
Zena x
Author—Zena Leech-Calton is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food. If you want any recommendations or want to book food and drink walking tour message me on social
News and What’s On! Swansea Food Tent Returns On 28 April 2022
One of Swansea's most popular outdoor dining and drinking events, the Swansea Bay Pop Up, has confirmed its return date in April. A giant Big Top tent will be set up in Singleton Park housing dozens of tables for locals and visitors alike to relax and socialise with friends, while enjoying beers, cocktails and a wide range of food from a mixture of beer bars, cocktail bars, street food stalls and food vendor vans located around the outskirts of the tent. The event was a hit in 2021 As restrictions will have been lifted in time for the Pop Up's launch on April 28, this year's event should be even bigger than ever.
Ynyshir becomes Wales first 2 Michelin Star Restaurant Our best restaurants in Wales are celebrating success, with some achieving new awards while others retain their existing awards from the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious restaurant guide - the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland 2022. In total, seven Welsh restaurants were awarded. Already previously a one Michelin star restaurant, Gareth Ward’s Ynyshir in Machynlleth has been promoted to a two Michelin star, boasting the first ever twostar to be awarded in Wales.
Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars Gordon Ramsay is a Michelin-starred chef and CEO of a global business empire. Now he’s on the hunt for the UK’s most exciting and innovative new food and drink business, and looking for the next generation ‘Food Star’ to invest in.
Putting the contenders through their paces was crucial for me. How do they react under pressure, in a difficult situation, a challenge outside their comfort zone? It’s no different to being in business, being up against it - and when the chips are down, then you dig deep."— Gordon Ramsay Gordon’s always been at the cutting edge of his industry, and has hand-picked 12 of the UK’s best up-and-coming food and drink entrepreneurs to compete to earn his investment - a whopping £150,000 of his own cash. But to win Gordon’s support will take more than just a great idea - the contenders will need to prove they possess the raw ingredients required to succeed: determination, dedication, passion and talent. Gordon will drive the contenders through a series of relentless challenges designed to test their character and showcase their business skills because, according to Gordon, an idea is only as good as the person who’s had it. Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars, coming soon to BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Q&A with Gordon Ramsay Tell us about your new show, Future Food Stars. Future Food Stars is about finding some of the most exciting, emerging food-and-drinks businesses that have been created in the UK. Especially on the back of the devastating two years with the pandemic, Future Food Stars will give someone the chance to focus and develop some exciting business ideas that have the potential to absolutely explode over the next 18 months.
What made you want to invest £150k of your own money? I’ve spent the last two decades investing in talent and restaurants, it’s in my blood. To expand beyond restaurants and be in that food and drink lifestyle space, looking at what we've got in the competition, and how talented these individuals are, I'm equally as excited to invest in them as I would in any restaurant or hotel, anywhere in the country.
What attributes are you looking for in an investment partner? The first big key to securing my investment is, how are they in business? How good is the idea? I need to invest in the person. And obviously, the idea is crucial, but it's all about that relationship. And I've always said there’s three key things in business: first of all, do you like each other; secondly, respect each other; and thirdly, does that business have scope? If those three boxes are ticked off, then it's the start of a successful relationship.
You put the contenders through their paces, how did you come up with the challenges in the show? Putting the contenders through their paces was crucial for me. How do they react under pressure, in a difficult situation, a challenge outside their comfort zone? It’s no different to being in business, being up against it - and when the chips are down, then you dig deep. So, investing that amount of money in someone, they need to have the resilience, the vision, and the drive to pick themselves up when things aren't going incredibly well. These challenges were designed to tick all those boxes and to push them to get a sense of that commitment for me to feel confident to invest in them.
Why was it important for you to also include non-food related challenges in the show? The challenges across Future Food Stars were not all food related. Some of the biggest food and drink ideas over the last five years - non-alcoholic cocktails, for instance - enlisting the expertise of the creator of Seedlip, and giving the contenders a challenge to come up with an amazing non-alcoholic brand. It's one of the fastest developing drink sectors on the planet, let alone in the country. So, it was really important to not become too foodie related, and focus on the business element and understand, have they got the acumen to understand the ethics of business, and can they see a decent profit on their return? Does their business work in such a busy sector?
Did you have a favourite challenge? If so, why? I love all the challenges, they're designed to create pressure and push them in many different scenarios. I have to say I was particularly excited about the food app challenge, because that was a great insight to how customers vote with their eyes, and they download what they'd like to eat from the app. They look at the pictures, they look at the description. Just look at the app phenomenon and how big that businesses become a multi-billion-pound industry now, globally, whether it's Deliveroo, GrubHub, or UberEATS. It was fascinating to see the amount of demand for food to go.
In the very first challenge, one of the contenders mentions that jumping off the cliff is the scariest thing they have ever done. What’s the scariest thing you have ever done? The scariest thing I've ever done was leaping out of a helicopter at 300 feet, in the depth of the Amazon jungle that was laden with crocodiles. Halfway through the descent, I was hoping these things were going to move and jump back into the water, but they stayed there till I was about 10 feet away. As soon as I unclipped and dropped down onto the sand, in the middle of Guyana on the northwest tip of the Amazon jungle, I think they got slightly spooked and dived back into the water. So yeah, it was the kind of rappel that you couldn't stop halfway down or ask the helicopter to move on. Once you’ve committed, you’re doing it, no going back!
You film in some stunning locations across the UK, can you tell us a little more about them? The UK has got such beauty when it comes to filming and it lends itself to such amazing photography. We open up the show in Newquay - that place has been my family's exciting little haven over the last 10 years since we fell in love with Cornwall a decade ago. Filming out in the Lake District and doing the challenge designed for the first responders, the Mountain Rescue Team, was breath-taking, absolutely breath-taking. We also filmed down in Devon and Somerset's Cheddar Gorge, doing a challenge locating cheese in these amazing caves which was beautiful, really beautiful. And then of course, London. We're spoilt for choice when it comes to stunning architecture and locations in London. The power and energy of the city just helps drive the contestants to push even harder.
Can you tell us a little more about the experts you consulted in the show? The experts were paramount across this competition because they really gave the contenders an insight. These experts were in their shoes five, six years ago look at Ben Branson, the creator of Seedlip, that guy was developing these cocktails in the back of his mother's kitchen on their farm as early as 2014, and within five years became a huge, huge industry success. Again, Will Shu one of the founders of Deliveroo, developed the app while he was living above a little greasy spoon cafe down the Kings Road, and it didn't really implode until 2010.
Getting up to Daylesford and seeing how a farm should be, in an amazing position to offer farm-to-table best produce, again, it was an amazing challenge and great produce. We were very lucky to work with those leading experts. Love the Taco Boys and the humble approach that these two kids have; they were young chefs who set up a taco shack on the beach at 21 and 22 years of age, with a product that is there and then gone - these things were sold out before the end of the queue finished. I believe it really helped Future Food Stars come to life working with those experts because it gave the show so much gravitas.
The contenders don’t always see eye to eye. Were you surprised at the level of tension amongst them? Does tension always equal passion? You know, in any business, there's always tension and there's pressure. I've always adapted to handling that pressure. They were super competitive, and differences were inevitable. They are all strong, independent characters - that’s why they are successful in what they do, running their different independent businesses. Ultimately, I wanted them to focus on the challenges ahead and stay focused on that prize, which they did.
What advice would you give to any future food stars wanting to get investment? My advice is, to ask yourself if your business is at the forefront of the competition. What can you do to change it? Are you ready to take a quantum leap and get this business catapulted? The secret behind any great success is the art of delegation. Are they willing to let go of some of the independence and control in their brand in order to take on that help? And if they can accept that and maintain their quality and focus then the sky's the limit!
Gordon Ramsay and the Future Food Stars contestants
Gordon Ramsay is sending his 11 contenders back to basics, to test their raw skills and pure talent. First, he invites the entrepreneurs to a world-renowned artisan smoke salmon business in Hackney Wick. Can they master traditional techniques against the clock? Next, Gordon charges the teams to embrace the great outdoors and create an incredible feast in the forest. Foraging for ingredients and cooking on open fires, can they bring the woodland to the table and create theatre for paying guests? Finally, it’s crunch-time as the contenders come face-to face with Gordon. Who will make the grade? Who’ll be sent home?
Channel: BBC One Date: 7 March 2022 Time: 9.00p.m—10.00p.m
ASK THE EXPERT
Here at The Foodie Manual, we love to engage with readers and give you the information you’re looking for. Do you have a burning cooking question? What at you struggling with in your foodie life, between Melissa Compton and Zena-Leech-Calton we have over 50 years of experience so send your questions to MELISSACOMPTON@THEFOODIEMANUAL.ONLINE and we’ll get them answered for you in our next issue! We have created an ask the expert section so please send me in your questions for me to answer. Like can you freeze cheese - why yes you can, but use it for cooking rather than a cheese board because the freezing process will alter the structure. Make sure it’s well wrapped though and best frozen for no longer than 3 months.
Hello - I’m Zena a Cookery tutor and food writer with a life long passion for food. I studied catering in Norwich, after working a stint in a local hotel I then moved to London to work as a chef - I also studied patisserie at Westminster College - before moving back to Norfolk to work as a cookery tutor.
Melissa Compton says: Hi, I’m Melissa the home cook on the team, I’m 46 from Coventry in the West Midlands but living in Swansea, Wales. From a young age I have always had an interest in cooking and food in general, my mother was a cook, so food was always a big theme growing up. I started out with fairy the usual cakes and the kids recipes, but always had a habit of diving towards to ambitious teaching myself how to make choux pastry, traditional baked cheesecakes I had a passion towards the sweets and desserts. I started cooking gluten-free about 20 years ago when my son went on a gluten free diet. I love experimenting and making traditional dishes gluten free.
The Foodie Manual
Contents April 2022 Every Issue 03 Editor Welcome 04 Norwich New 05 What’s on & News 15 In Season
Extras 18
06 Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars
On The Cover 16 3 ways to cook seasonal veggies & fruit 26 The drinks Edit
36 Sweet comforts 42 Rainbow Cake 48 Vegan recipes 58 From Our Kitchen To Yours 67 Trailblazer award
Recipes 14 Elderflower Sorbet 14 Flat Bread 18 Cod with Celery and Thyme 20 Asparagus Soup
22 Apple and Rhubarb Crumble 28 Wild Eve with Plum Shrub 29 Bloody Mary with Not Vanilla Vodka 30 Isle of Barra Rhubarb and Heather gin & wine Spritzer 31 Elderflower Cordial 32 Butter Coffee 34 White Chocolate Mocha 38 Champagne and Strawberry Roulade 40 Honey Loaf Cake 44 Cream Horns 45 Scones 46 Chocolate Eclairs 51 Curried Celery Fritters 52 Vegan Falafel Fritters 54 Gardner’s Pie 55 Yam Balls 56 Jamaican Fried Dumplings 57 Butternut Squash Balti 61 Cooking with Kids: Chocolate Fudge Cake 62 Cooking With Kids: Ciabatta 64 Spicy Chickpea Burgers with Sweetcorn and Tomato Relish 65 Courgette, Feta and Sweetcorn Cakes
The Foodie Manual We want to hear your voice! And win a £10 voucher
The Foodie Manual Editor Melissa Compton melissacompton@thefoodiemanual.online www.thefoodiemanual.online
The Foodie Manual is a magazine built around our readers, we put you at the heart of all we do, having previously delivered food content for over two year via tips, recipes, reviews, and features.
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Now we want to know your opinions about food , what do you eat, cook, and think about food 2022 . We use your answers to ensure our content delivers so tell us how often you eat out, do you have food photos on your camera roll, what would you like to see more off in the magazine.
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Zena Leech-Calton info@lovefoodnorwich.co.uk
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Contributor Rebecca Heath
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Design Melissa Compton
Photography and Food Styling Melissa Compton Some images from Adobe.com, BBC Pictures, Rebecca Heath
The Foodie Manual Published by Melissa Compton Printed in Uk All rights including moral rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or any means without the prior written consent from the publisher, nor shall be otherwise circulated in any form, binding or cover other than that in which it is published. While our recipes have been tested by experts, sometimes recipes don’t work properly due to mismeasuring or different cooker performance. We advise readers to measure ingredients carefully and time their own bakes. The views expressed in this magazine are not those of the publisher. It is recommended that you consult your GP before following any kind of diet, health or exercise regime. Articles and advertisements are for information only They are not intended to replace medial care and advise.
What’s Inside
After School Flat Bread There are many forms of flat breads which I will share with you over the years, this is a no yeast slightly spiced version which can be knocked up in minutes – feel free to swap out the spices and make it your own
Ingredients 250g strong flour good pinch salt ½ teaspoon cumin seeds – toasted & ground good pinch paprika 4 tablespoons olive oil 100ml warm water
Method
Sift the flour.
Add all the ingredients, mixing in a large bowl with a fork – until you form a dough ball.
Get your hands in and kneed for 5 – 6 minutes.
Rest covered in the fridge for 10 – 20 minutes.
Cut into 4 – 5 equal pieces.
Roll into circles.
Panfry in a hot pan brushed with a small amount of oil, cooking on both sides until golden.
Elderflower Sorbet (4) Ingredients 300 ml water 200 g caster sugar
10 heads elderflowers – cleaned 1 lemon – zest and juice
Method
In a large saucepan add the water, ar, elderflowers and the lemon.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
Leave all the ingredients to cool completely and then strain out the liquid.
Add the cold liquid to an ice-cream machine and churn until set or alternatively pour in to a container and freeze stirring every 30 minutes until made. The mix should be soft enough to scoop and hold its shape.
Recipes by Zena Leech-Calton
sug-
In Season: April GREAT RECIPES USING IN SEASON INGREDIENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE EATING
APPLE & RHURBARB CRUMBLE P.22 This classic dessert staple is the ideal way to use your in season fruit.
COD & CELERY P.18 Cod is in season right now, So why not check out Zena’s delicious recipe.
ASPARAGUS SOUP P.20 There’s nothing more comforting than homemade soup.
Cod with celery and thyme cooked in foil Why not make this great quick fix meal, to use up that celery, low on calories and full of flavour celery is often unvalued combine it with cod for this great recipe.
Image for illustrative purposes only
Ingredients 1 small stick celery – small diced 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - chopped splash white wine (30 ml) 1 portion thick cut cod – skinned seasoning
Method
Pre-heat an oven gas 5 / 200*c
Place all the ingredients in a square sheet of tin foil (approx 30 cm squared) – pinch the sides together, sealing the bag up yet allowing a pocket of air in the bag to create the steam for cooking.
Cook on the middle shelf for 12 minutes – Ready steady eat!
Cooking in foil or greaseproof paper is known as cooking “en papillotte” or cooking in a bag.
It’s very healthy, saves on the washing up and is perfect for cooking for one. You can cook almost anything with this method – try a small chicken breast with tomatoes, olives, basil, red onions and a splash of wine –
Cook for 15 - 20 minutes.
Author—Zena Leech-Calton is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food. If you
Asparagus Soup Spring is here, and asparagus season has arrived. If you're a big fan of this vegetable, no doubt you already love to roast it for the flavour. Another great way to use asparagus is this delicious soup Welcome to Spring!
Ingredients 2 Tablespoons of butter 1 clove of garlic (crushed) 900 g asparagus, (trimmed & Chopped) ground black pepper (for seasoning) 480 ml chicken stock 120 ml double cream, plus more for garnish Chives (chopped, for garnish) Dill, (freshly chopped, for garnish)
Method
Melt butter and cook garlic until fragrant.
Add asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden. Add stock and simmer, cover, until asparagus is very tender but still green.
Puree soup in a blender, be sure to stop and remove the lid a few times to avoid overheating the soup. Stir in cream, then warm on low heat.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with more cream and herbs.
Melissa Belinda Ann Compton was born in Liverpool and raised in the West Midlands. These days she makes her home in Swansea, West Wales, a coastal town in the UK. Melissa is a writer and editor who's blogged about everything from romantic fiction novels and business to food. Creator and editor of The Foodie Manual She also holds a BA Hons in English and Media, as well as a Diploma in Nutrition.
Apple and Rhubarb Crumble This classic comfort pudding is perfect for using up all that fresh rhubarb, never lasts long in our house, but is easy to prepare. Enjoy!
Ingredients Filling: 450g rhubarb, cut into 3cm slices 350g cooking apples peeled and cut into 3cm chunks 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 120g golden caster sugar For the topping: 200g plain flour 1 teaspoon of ground ginger 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 100g butter, chopped 70g light soft brown sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C
Grease a deep dish, then place the apple, rhubarb, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and golden caster sugar in the dish and gently combine
Cook in the oven for 10 minutes
Meanwhile, prepare the topping
Cream together the brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and ginger Add the flour and combine until a breadcrumb mixture is formed
Melissa Belinda Ann Compton was born in Liverpool and raised in the West Midlands. These days she makes her home in Swansea, West Wales, a coastal town in the UK. Melissa is a writer and editor who's blogged about everything from romantic fiction novels and business to food. Creator and editor of The Foodie Manual She also holds a BA Hons in English and Media, as well as a Diploma in Nutrition
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The New Cocktail from Wild Eve This innovative, small batch non-alcoholic drink is hand crafted from an exclusive selection of organic flowers, fruits, leaves, and seaweeds, hand foraged on the Isle of Harris, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The carefully blended botanicals assist to reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and invite calm through the innate properties of the plants.
Wild Eve with Plum Shrub Ingredients 25ml Wild Eve 5-10ml Temple Plum Shrub Soda Water Frozen Rocks
Method
Put the frozen rocks in the glass Pour over the Wild Eve Add plum shrub starting with 5ml to taste Garnish with fresh plums, a spring of seaweed, and a bulb of juicy rosehip if you have it. Sit by the fire, put on some jazz, and enjoy!
Bloody Mary With Not Vanilla V*dka
Ingredients Ice (a large handful) 100ml Not Vanilla V*DKA 500ml tomato juice 1 tbsp lemon juice, plus 2 slices to serve A few drops of Worcestershire sauce A few drops of Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce A pinch salt A pinch of black pepper 2 sticks of celery, to decorate
Method
In a jug place the ice, Not Vanilla V*DKA, tomato juice and lemon juice. Add 3 drops of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco (or more to your taste) Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir until jug feels cold, then strain into 2 tall glasses. Top up with fresh ice, decorate glasses with celery and a slice of lemon and enjoy.
Check Out This Great Cocktail From Isle of Barra Distillers The Isle of Barra Distillery Rhubarb and Heather Gin Liqueur, uses rhubarb sourced from a local charitable organisation on the island, Garadh a’ Bhagh a’ Tuath. Garadh a’ Bhagh a’ Tuath runs a community garden and café project, which produces the freshest local ingredients available and using as much of the produce in their recipes to help lower carbon footprint. Along with the garden and café, the project also assists adult learners within the community, involving them as much as the volunteers.
INGREDIENTS 35ml Rhubarb and heather gin liqueur! 15ml Orange liqueur (triple sec) 10ml Sugar syrup 50ml Soda water 100ml Sparkling wine
METHOD
Pour all the ingredients into a stemmed wine glass. Add cubed ice. Garnish with an orange wheel.
Available now at Isleofbarradistillers.com, £22.
Elderflower Cordial Elderflowers are totally free they grow along most country roads and you may even have one in your garden. About this time of year, or a bit later - the white flower heads bloom and they are packed full of fragrant flavour. When the white flowers start to blow off the elderflowers are past their best, then the bitter black elderberry’s pop out –. Elderflower cordial can be mixed with still or sparkling water, blended with dry white wine as a spritzer or used in many a dessert recipe. Why not treat the Dads on Fathers day (21st June) with something cool to drink while cutting the grass this summer.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton
Ingredients 15 – 20 large elderflower heads 1 kg granulated sugar 15 g citric acid * (optional)
2 lemons – halved and sliced skin on 2 litres boiling water
Method
Wash the elderflowers in a large bowl and drain of the excess water.
Sprinkle on the citric acid and sugar and add the lemon slices.
Pour over the boiling water.
Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours, stirring once or twice to dissolve the sugar and develop the flavour.
Strain off the liquid (cordial) and store in sterilized bottles filled to the top, discarding the soggy elderflowers and lemon.
Leave the bottles to cool and store in a dark place.
The cordial will keep for three months but once opened refrigerate.
Tip* – Citric Acid can be bought from chemists and some health food shops, it simply preserves the cordial and allows you to store it for longer.
Butter Coffee You’ll most commonly hear this referred to as bulletproof Butter Coffee, this recipe is for a plainer version of Butter Coffee. The drink is popular with people who want to replace breakfast with a drink as they are following either a ketogenic diet or intermittent fasting. Please note the bulletproof version uses MCT Oil, this version does not.
Ingredients 10-12 fl oz Freshly Brewed Coffee (I use Roma Blend from Green Farm Coffee in Norwich) 1 Tablespoon of Grass-Fed Butter
Equipment Blender/Food Processor
Method
Simply blend the two ingredients in a blender at a high speed until combined, and creamy, then serve in a mug Variations: For Bulletproof Coffee add 1 Tablespoon of MCT Oil, Coconut Oil or Grass-Fed Ghee.
Simply one of the most indulgent hot drinks you can make, This White Chocolate Mocha will have you cuddle up on the sofa in no time.
Ingredients 4 small Squares of White Chocolate 5-6 Fl oz Fresh Brewed Coffee (of your choice again we use our Roma Blend from Green Farm Coffee) 1 Cup of heated Milk Whipped cream and a handful of white chocolate shaving to decorate
Method
Stir together the coffee & white chocolate until the chocolate has melted, froth the milk with a hand frother or whisk. Slowly add to the coffee mixture and blend in. Decorate with whipped cream and chocolate shaving
Variation: you can add marshmallows, but be aware the coffee will be very sweet.
Sweet Comforts Strawberry and Champagne Roulade Honey Loaf Cake Rainbow Sponge Cake
Cream Horns Fruit Scones Chocolate Eclairs
Strawberry and Champagne Roulade
A roulade is a sponge like, long roll stuffed with filling, a bit like a Swiss roll only made with a light egg mix. They can be sweet or savoury either way they’re always attractive, delicately light and delicious. This is edging on the healthier side of desserts at approximately 280 calories per portion, serve with some extra strawberries and then it contains one of your 5 a day – well, it’s better than a banoffee pie!!!
Strawberry and Champagne Roulade Serves 8 Ingredients Roulade 6 free-range eggs – medium 90g caster sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 of essence) 50 g plain flour - sieved
Filling and Sauce 1 punnet / 400 g fresh strawberry’s 1 pot / approx. 250 g crème fraiche 100 ml champagne or Rosa cava 30 g caster sugar
Method
Preheat the oven gas 6 / 190*c and prepare a 25 x 35 cm (approx) tray by lining with greaseproof paper and greasing that.
To make the filling – Slice the strawberries in half and then slice very thinly, toss in the sugar and champagne. Set aside to macerate until needed.
To make the roulade - separate the eggs and place in separate clean bowls.
Whisk the egg whites with half of the sugar until stiff.
Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until light and throffy and add the vanilla.
Sieve the flour in to the egg yolk mix and mix together.
Gently mix the two egg mixes together, being careful not to loose too much air.
Spoon carefully on to the greased tray and spread out to form a flat layer
Bake for 12 - 14 minutes on the middle shelf until set and firm.
Remove and cool slightly before turning out on to a sugared piece of greaseproof paper and then roll to shape when still hot. (Landscape rolling down towards you)
Set-aside until cold.
To put the roulade together – Unfold the roulade and spread all over with the crème fraiche.
Scatter over 2/3 of the strawberries and reserve the remaining with the juice.
Roll the roulade back to form a log / roll shape.
Dust with icing-sugar.
To make the Strawberry and Champagne Sauce – Rapidly simmer the reserved juice and the strawberries for 3 – 4 minutes until slightly thickened. Whiz / process to form a sauce.
Serve with the roulade.
Variations
Try English Cherry’s they are in season at the moment and work great with a chocolate version by replacing 25 g flour with coco powder and grating 50 g dark chocolate in to the uncooked roulade mix.
For a non-alcoholic version omit the champagne or replace with sparkling apple juice.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
Honey Loaf Cake We’re delighted this month to be able to welcome Rebecca Health from Hestia Patisserie in Norwich, as a contributor to the magazine. We feel very lucky to have her on board and our sure you’ll all just love this delicious Honey Loaf Cake.
Spring has sprung and with the new blooms making their way skyward comes the busy buzzing of Honeybees! This simple tea cake is inspired by my love of honey, the nectar of the Gods, a product which you can always buy locally supporting the small businesses around you. Each type of honey has its own distinct characteristic, whether it be floral, fruit or nutty, so there can be lots of slight variations to the flavour of this loaf.
To make one standard 1LB/450g loaf cake Ingredients 155g butter, at room temperature 155g caster sugar 1 egg 4 egg yolks 120g double cream ½ tsp vanilla extract 170g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 85 g honey, warmed and mixed with 2 tbsp water to make a syrup
Method
Preheat your oven to 180C fan and thoroughly grease one 1LB loaf tin with oil or butter. Cut a piece of almost as wide as the loaf tin is long with overhanging wings to help lift the cake out after it is baked.
Cream together the butter and sugar.
Gradually add the eggs, one at a time and mix until emulsified and glossy.
Add the double cream and vanilla and mix until combined (using a whisk and gently folding may help mix this quicker!)
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and stir together before adding to the loaf batter and mix until just combined.
Pour into your prepared loaf tin, the batter will be quite thick so gently spread it into the corners of your tin with the back of a spoon. Bake in the centre of your oven for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and a test skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, spike the top of the cake to make a few holes and liberally brush over the honey syrup. Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before removing and placing on to wire racks.
You can either leave the loaf plain or decorate it however you wish! I chose to make a simple lemon juice and icing sugar icing and edible flowers to help celebrate the springtime.
Recipe by Rebecca Heath Rebecca Health trained as a professional chef at culinary college before working at high-end restaurants and hotels across London. As her career progressed she moved on to work in Michelin starred restaurants in Nottingham, Copenhagen before settling in Norwich where she now runs Hestia Patisserie.
Rainbow Sponge Cake
This delicious celebration cake is sure to delight, your guests, friends and family, An special occasion cake it takes time and patience but is sure to be worth it! Equipment Needed Equipment Needed Electric mixer Turntable (if possible) Pallet Knife/Spatula 3 8”x 2” cake tins A selection of bowls Pipping Bag
Ingredients
For the sponge cake 12 oz Self raising flour 12 oz caster sugar 1/2 tsp (1 tsp) salt 1 Tablespoons baking powder 1/2 Teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda 6 egg whites room temperature 3 oz (85g) vegetable oil 9 oz buttermilk room temperature or slightly warm 6 oz (170g) butter unsalted and softened 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Buttercream Ingredients 4 egg whites 16 oz (450g) Icing sugar 16 oz (450g) unsalted butter softened but not melted 2 tsp vanilla extract Food Colouring: Pink or red and Blue (food colouring paste is best)
Method
Preheat the oven to 335F/168C (170C is fine) Grease and line the 3 cake tins Mix 4 oz of the buttermilk and the oil together and put to one side. Mix the remaining buttermilk, egg whites, and vanilla together, whisk together and set aside. Blend together with a large wooden spoon the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl til combined Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low until mixture resembles coarse sand (about 30 seconds). Add in your milk/oil mixture and let mix until dry ingredients are moistened and then turn up to a medium speed and let mix for 2 full minutes. (If you don't let your cake mix on this step your cake could collapse). Then reduce speed to low. Add in your egg white/milk mixture in three batches, letting the batter mix for 15 seconds between additions. make sure everything has combined well Divide your batter into 3 bowls. (6 cups of batter per bowl) Colour each bowl with your food colouring. 1/4 tsp for pink for the pink layer, ¼ teaspoon for the blue layer. Bake your cakes for 20-24 minutes or until the edges JUST start pulling away from the cake pan. Let cakes cool for 10 minutes inside the pan before flipping them out.
Cool your cake layers 30-60 minutes Make the buttercream while cakes cool
Buttercream Instructions
Place Icing sugar and egg whites in a bowl and mix with a electric mixer on a low setting
Mix on low to combine
Add the butter in small chunks and mix on a high speed. Continue mixing until all the butter is added in. Then add in your vanilla.
Mix on high until light and fluffy and no longer tastes like butter. buttercream.
Stir with a wooden spoon for 5-10 minutes to remove bubbles from the buttercream. Spilt the mixture in two equal amounts into bowls then add a few drops of pink food colouring (or food colouring paste) and combine till you get the required colour.
To Build The Cake Place the pink cake upside down on a cake board or serving plate, spread a layer of uncoloured buttercream on the upside of the cake and top it with a layer of pink buttercream. Place the uncoloured cake upside down on top of the buttercream. Top with a layer of uncoloured buttercream and a layer of pink buttercream. Top with the blue cake then give the whole cake a layer of uncoloured butter cream to seal the cake together and let set for 30-60 minutes. Give your cake a final layer of pink buttercream, then place on the turntable (if you have one) and smooth the buttercream with a pallet knife or spatula until you have a smooth finish. To decorate add some uncoloured buttercream to a piping bag and decorate and leave to set before serving.
Makes 8-10
Cream Horns
Afternoon Tea season is almost upon us and who doesn’t love a good cream horn, Just a little insight about this recipe, my grandmother is known as “the cream horn lady” for years She’s baked for her small village in Lincolnshire, and so this recipe was developed one day after I asked her how to make cream horns (my favourite treat).
Equipment Cream Horn molds
Ingredients
500g of Puff Pastry 8oz icing sugar 2 egg whites 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 225g Unsalted Butter Strawberry Jam 4-5Glace Cherries
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C On a flour dusted surface roll out the puff pastry till its 1/2inch thick, then cut into strips Grease the cream horns mold, then wrap a strip around the mold avoiding gaps and place on a baking tray Cook in the oven 10-12 minutes or till the pastry is golden and then leave to cool Meanwhile make the buttercream. Mix together the icing sugar and egg whites on a low speed Add in the butter increasing to a medium speed, once the butter is well combined add the vanilla before setting aside Chop the glace cherries in half Once cooled gently remove the pastry from the mold and place a teaspoon of strawberry jam inside the horn Next fill with buttercream and top with a glazed cherry Serve on a plate with a nice cup of tea.
Fruit Scones
Delicious and perfect for a afternoon tea, these home made scones can be made with or without fruit
Ingredients 4oz/225g Self Raising Flour A pinch of salt 70 ml Milk 25g Caster sugar 70g Butter 50g Sultanas 1 beaten egg
Method Preheat oven to 200C Cream together the sugar and butter Add in flour and salt and combine well (should resemble breadcrumbs) Slowly add mix until mixture resembles a dough add in sultanas and form into a ball Knead dough till smooth On a surface dusted with flour roll out till dough in 2 inches thick With a 5cm deep round cookie cutter press out 4 scones at a time Brush the top of the scones with a beaten egg and place on a baking tray Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Eat warm or cold fill with jam and clotted cream.
Chocolate Eclairs
Ingredients For the éclair shell 140g plain flour A pinch of sugar 125ml milk 100g butter 4 eggs
Method
For the filling 375ml double/whipping cream
For the icing 100g plain chocolate
25g butter 1 Tablespoon of icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Sift the flour with the sugar and a pinch of salt into a small bowl. Put the milk and butter into a medium saucepan with 125ml water and gently heat so the butter melts but the liquid doesn’t bubble. Once the butter has completely melted, increase the heat until the liquid comes to a fast rolling boil. Immediately turn off the heat, tip in the sifted flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until you a have a smooth dough that comes away from the sides of the pan Allow to cool for a few minutes, then gradually add the eggs, mixing well between each addition until the mixture reluctantly drops off the spoon. Don’t add all the eggs unless you need to. Cut two large sheets of baking parchment/greaseproof paper. Use the paper to line two large baking sheets Spoon your mixture into a piping bag with a 1cm round wide nozzle, or into a disposable piping bag with a similar-size hole snipped off for piping. Pipe two rows of well-spaced, eclair shapes Bake, one tray at a time, on a high-ish shelf for 25 mins, reducing temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 as soon as they go in the oven. After 25 mins, poke a hole in the end of each bun, or using a small serrated knife, split down the middle and return to the oven, upside-down, to dry out for 5 mins until crisp and golden. Set aside to cool. While the cases are cooling, make your filling. Whisk the cream until thick and fluffy. Spoon your filling into a piping bag – use a small nozzle if you’re filling the buns through the holes you've pierced, or a large nozzle if you’ve split the buns in half. Carefully pipe the cream into each cooled bun – they should feel heavy once full. To make the icing, melt 100g plain chocolate and 25g butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, remove from the heat 1 tbsp sifted icing sugar. Once cooled a little, spread over the tops of the eclairs and leave to set. Serve once icing has set.
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Let’s get Vegan
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Curried Celery fritters This simple but delicious recipe is an ideal way to cook your celery.
Ingredients For the Filling 4 sticks celery – cut in to batons / strips
good pinch salt
For the Batter 60 g self raising flour 10 g corn flour 1/2 teaspoon each turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli powder seasoning 1 teaspoon lime juice 3 tablespoons water enough coconut milk to mix in to a batter (or use all water)
Method
Toss the celery sticks on salt and leave for 15 – 20 minutes to soften, rinse well before using.
For the batter whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then whisk in the lime juice, water and enough of the coconut milk to mix in to a smooth thick batter.
Heat enough oil to deep fry or preferably (for safety) a deep fat fryer to 180*
Dip the celery in the batter and gently drop in to the oil cooking until golden and crispy on both sides.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
Vegan Falafel Fritters Falafels are chickpea fritters from the Middle East often served in wraps with hummus or tahini* or served in a tomato sauce like meatballs. Chickpeas are also known as Garbanzo beans. For your local fix try ‘Moorish’ on Lower Goat Lane or ‘Falafel and Friends’ on the market – both vegan.
Ingredients 1 tin / approx. 225 g chickpeas* – drained*** ***reserving 1 tablespoon of the water 2 cloves garlic 1 onion – chopped 2 tablespoons parsley 2 tablespoons leaf coriander 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 30 g natural breadcrumbs
¼ teaspoon Xanthian Gum Seasoning
Method
Process the chickpeas, reserved water, garlic, onion and herbs to make a pulsed / mashed mix. Spoon in to a bowl and then mix in the rest of the ingredients to make a smooth soft mix, season well.
With damp hands mold in to 12 - 14 round balls and then slightly squash each one to make a UFO shaped falafel.
Deep-fry in hot oil setting 8 / 180*c until golden brown.
Serve 3 – 4 falafel in a warm pitta bread with salad and hummus.
Variations – Make 4 burger patties with the same mix, pan-fry in a little olive oil until golden on both sides and serve in wholemeal baps with pickles.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
Gardeners Pie The secret to this delicious recipe is the mushrooms, the recipe uses 3 types of mushrooms to aid with the delicious flavour a huge hit with vegans and meat-eaters alike try it out! Serves 4
Ingredients 4 large Parsnips peeled and diced 1 large bag of spinach roughly chopped 4 large carrots peeled and chopped 150g peas 1 large onion peeled and chopped 2 cloves of Garlic finely chopped 4 sticks of celery chopped 100g Button mushrooms chopped 100g Portobello Mushrooms chopped 100g Porcini Mushrooms chopped 450ml vegetable stock 1 kg Potatoes cut and diced into small chunks 50g vegan butter Salt and black pepper to season
Method Preheat the oven to 180C Place all the vegetables (excluding the potatoes) into a deep dish with the vegetable stock Cook for 1 hr in the oven when preparing the potatoes Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes or until soft Drain the potatoes, mash with the vegan butter and set aside to cool Take out the vegetable from the oven and drain any excess liquid, once potatoes are cool smooth the mashed potatoes over the vegetable season with salt and black pepper and place in the oven for 30 minutes and serve
Yam Balls
Ingredients 1 1/2 pound yam salt as required 150g potatoes 3 tablespoons vegan butter/ margarine 1/2 onion chopped 1/2 bell pepper chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 1 teaspoon of grounded black pepper 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder 65g vegan bread crumbs 30g flour salt and black pepper to season odourless oil for deep frying to serve: any hot sauce
Method
Peel the yam and cut it into cubes. Smaller cubes cook faster. Rinse well, put into a saucepan, add salt to taste, add enough water to cover the yams for boiling. Place the yams on fire to cook till tender or cooked through. In a separate pan place peeled and chopped potatoes (these will take less time to cook) and boil until soft. While the yam is cooking, put one tablespoon of butter or margarine in another saucepan. Add garlic, onions and bell pepper and saute until just softened, and set aside.
Drain the yams and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Whiles still hot, add two tablespoons of butter or margarine and mash the yam making sure there are no lumps. Repeat for potatoes Add the previously softened onions and bell pepper, one teaspoon of black pepper, half a teaspoon of chilli powder. Mix everything together. Season with salt and black pepper. Add water mix together. palms, mould and shape into balls. Place the yam balls on a tray and place them in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to rest. Mix together the flour and breadcrumbs and season, Remove yam balls from the fridge, take each yam ball, place into the flour plate to coat, dust off excess, finally place into the bread crumbs to coat making sure it is well coated in the bread crumbs. Rest the yam balls for about five minutes before frying. When ready to fry, heat oil in a deep fryer. Check the oil is hot by dipping a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil bubbles around it, it is hot enough to start frying. Gently place each yam ball into the deep fryer. Fry till yam balls are golden. Remove from the oil and put the yam balls on a tissue paper-lined plate to drain excess oil. Yam balls are best eaten warm, serve with any hot sauce of choice.
Jamaican Fried Dumplings
Ingredients 8 oz self-raising flour ½ teaspoon salt Water
Method Combine the flour, and salt in a bowl then add water slowly to make a smooth dough, Leave to rest for 5 minutes Deep fry in a deep-fat fryer adding a few at a time as they expand.
Butternut Squash Balti Ingredients 300g butternut squash (parboiled i.e cooked for 15 mins) 100g cauliflower 2 courgettes 1 small onion 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil ½ teaspoon of paprika
For the sauce 1 TBSP of Olive Oil 1 Onion ½ TSP Mustard ¼ Teaspoon of Cinnamon 3 medium Tomatoes 5 Garlic cloves ½ TBSP Ginger ¼ teaspoon of Cardamom 1 TBSP of coriander 1 teaspoon of Turmeric 1 red chilli 1 teaspoon of Garam Masala 2 teaspoons Cumin ½ lemon freshly juiced ½ red pepper ½ green pepper 1 Tablespoon of Tomato Puree ½ teaspoon of paprika
Method
Drain the butternut squash, add cauliflower, and courgettes, and fry in the coconut oil and paprika for 3-4 minutes, set aside while you make the sauce. Add red chilli, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, mustard, cinnamon and cumin powder in a frying pan/wok over medium heat till a nice aroma comes. Next add onions, peppers, ginger and garlic (finely chopped or crushed) and saute for a few minutes.
Next, add tomatoes and 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Add salt, black pepper, cardamom, and lemon juice bring to the boil stirring continuously till the sauce becomes thick Turn off heat, cover and allow to cool. Blitz the sauce in a blender for a few seconds till smooth Add the butternut squash to the sauce and simmer for an hour stirring occasionally Serve and Enjoy!
Melissa Belinda Ann Compton was born in Liverpool and raised in the West Midlands. These days she makes her home in Swansea, West Wales, a coastal town in the UK. Melissa is a writer and editor who's blogged about everything from romantic fiction novels and business to food. Creator and editor of The Foodie Manual She also holds a BA Hons in English and Media, as well as a Diploma in Nutrition
From Your Kitchen To Yours
Organizing your kitchen We like to cover all bases here at the magazine so this is for the new cooks and beginners out there, lots of the things I do now I learnt going up, my mother was a cook who kept a well-stocked kitchen so I was lucky in that respect. Before you do anything else but one of those magnetic pads for your shopping lists or a bull clip to pin a list to the wall. If you spend enough time in the kitchen you’ll think of things now and again you’re running low on, this way pop it on your list and the shopping list writes itself. For cupboards, we use lower cupboards for dinnerware and equipment and upper cupboards for food storage. We love having everything sealed away, you can reuse glass jars for this you can use plastics but with issues around chemicals from plastics leaching into foods during storage. We prefer to avoid the risk. If you’re wondering what I am talking about check out this article from the guardian on PFA’s and Food https://bit.ly/3uPBxln. We tend to put things we use regularly in the cupboards closest to the cooker. Once things are away we do a food inventory, this also helps with meal planning and shopping lists. Because we make recipes for both Gluten-free and regular diets, we have separate cupboards to avoid cross-contamination. If you’re low on cupboard space try a storage box.
Once you have identified what you have you can organise it, so your fridge should be cleaned weekly and organised in the following order from top to bottom.
Upper Shelves - cooked Food,
Middle Shelves - dairy, milk, cheese, yoghurt - some people put their eggs here to keep them at a constant temperature (I don’t believe in keeping eggs in the fridge unless a recipe calls for it).
Bottom Shelf - raw meat, fish, (it’s the coolest part of your fridge) keep well wrapped to avoid dripping juices and/or blood. The glass/plastic shelf provides extra protection against drips spoiling other food too.
In the drawer - fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs
The door - This is the warmest part of your fridge, you should keep jams, preserves, condiments, and pickles here.
The coolest part of your fridge should be under 5 Celsius and we recommend you do a deep clean, once every 3-6 months. Keeping your fridge under 5 Celsius will keep your food fresh for longer.
While we’re on the subject, your microwave should be cleaned daily for good food hygiene. Let’s move on to your cupboards. The Baking Essentials, your baking cupboard should stock the following essentials: flours, plain flour is a good all-rounder, but you can consider bread flour, self-raising, cornflour, wholemeal/wholewheat flour, non-gluten flours and cornmeal. Adding polenta to the list is good too as it is so versatile. Your need leaveners too, Bicarbonate of Soda (baking soda in the US), baking powder, yeast. The sugars we keep in are, caster sugar, icing sugar, granulated sugar, light brown sugar (unrefined) and Dark Brown sugar we also stock golden syrup, honey, and molasses. The salt we are sea salt and table salt. Dairy - eggs, butter, milk, and buttermilk Fats - Vegetable oil, olive oil, beef dripping, butter, suet, coconut oil. Extract - Vanilla and almond. Spices - cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. You can add in items like chocolate, condensed milk, nuts rolled oats, and dried fruit. After you’ve been cooking a while you’ll get used to what you need regularly. I always add the following herbs/spices to this for cooking cardamom, cumin, coriander, paprika, chilli powder/crushed chillies, turmeric, garlic, and lemon juice. And that’s it happy cooking till next time xx
Author: Melissa Belinda Ann Compton was born in Liverpool and raised in the West Midlands. These days she makes her home in Swansea, West Wales, a coastal town in the UK. Melissa is a writer and editor who's blogged about everything from romantic fiction novels and business to food. Creator and editor of The Foodie Manual She also holds a BA Hons in English and Media, as well as a Diploma in Nutrition.
Cooking with the kids
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Ingredients 10 - 12 slices (double for large cake) 100 g butter – softened 200 g dark or light brown sugar 2 medium eggs 200 g self-raising flour 4 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/2 heaped teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoons vanilla essence 250 ml water 125 ml vegetable oil 125 ml any milk
Method Preheat the oven gas 5 / 200* c. Cream the butter and sugar together in a very large bowl. Then beat all the ingredients together until just mixed and smooth. Expect the mix to be runny. Pour in to a 20 - 22 cm deep, spring bottomed cake tin or something similar. Bake on the middle shelf for 35-40 minutes and then for an extra 15-20 minutes on gas 4 / 180*c until cooked. Tip - Stick a pointed knife or skewer in to the centre of the cake if it comes out comes out clean its cooked.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
Ciabbatta Makes 4 loaves
Made with a wet dough - an adaption of the Hollywood method (that’s Paul not the town).
Ingredients 500g strong flour 1 teaspoon salt 1&1/2 sachets yeast (approx. 10g) 1 generous heaped tablespoon virgin olive oil 400ml warm water (1/3 boiling & 2/3 very cold water) Fine semolina flour to dust (or use flour)
Method
Oil a large take away plastic container ( square or rectangle & around 2 litres)
In a large bowl (or electric mixer) sift in the flour, add the salt, yeast and olive oil.
Mix in the water –a little at a time, to eventually form a wet dough. Mix with a dough hook or by hand – kneading for a further 8 – 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy.
Pour in to the plastic tub, cover with a damp T-towel and leave somewhere warm for an hour or so until doubled.
Meanwhile preheat the oven to gas 6 / 200*c.
Don’t knock back the dough - - its too sticky and to hard to work with – simply dust a surface with the semolina or flour, really well - - and gently tip out the dough.
Dust the top liberally and then cut in to 3 -4 long pieces (3 larger fat ones or 4 smaller thin ones).
Gently stretch each piece out to form a long loaf, trying to turn a little in to the semolina/flour.
Very carefully place on 2 x well oiled baking trays (they are extremely soft, stretchy and hard to move – you may find a fish slice handy for this job).
Leave to prove for 20-30 minutes more - - as they haven’t been knocked back it just needs to rest and spring back a little.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked and lightly golden – they will sound hollow when tapped underneath.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
Colouring Page
Spicy chickpea burgers with sweetcorn and tomato relish (v) What to give your vegetarian guests? – well these Chickpea burgers really only take ten minutes to make and are a hit with anyone who has ever eaten them. You can even swap the chickpeas with beans like butterbean or borlotti and even if you haven’t got a processor, just mashing and grating all the ingredients together will work just as well.
Spiced Chickpea Burgers Makes 4 – 5
Ingredients 1 tin chickpeas - drained and washed 1 onion - rough diced 1 garlic clove - crushed 1-teaspoon fresh parsley 1/4-inch ginger - grated 1/2 red chili – leave seeds in for extra hot-ness 1-teaspoon ground coriander Seasoning
1 small egg 60 g natural bread crumbs 1 tablespoons olive oil – to cook
Method Drain and wash the chickpeas. Whiz the chickpeas, onion, herbs and spices until mashed. Add the egg and crumbs. Season well. Mould in to burgers either by hand or by using a scone cutter as a mould. (Tip – burger presses cost about £6.00) Pan fry in a little olive oil till golden on both sides or baked, grill or barbeque. Tip – use the chickpeas in water with no added salt.
Tomato and Corn Relish Ingredients
Method
2 plum tomatoes – small 1/2 red onion – finely chopped
Mix all the ingredients together, season to taste
1 clove garlic – crushed (optional)
and pile onto the burgers.
1/2 red chilli – finely chopped (optional) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs of choice 2 tablespoons sweetcorn 1 level tablespoon tomato puree 1 level tablespoon olive oil
seasoning
Courgette, feta and sweetcorn cakes These are cake / patties served as a vegetarian main course or as a starter; they can also be made in to small cakes for summer party food and served with a sweet Thai chilli dip. They are an adaptation of a Turkish classic and I like serving mine with Tziki and a mixed dressed salad. Make 4 large cakes
Ingredients Courgette mix 2 large courgettes – top, tailed and grated 1/2 teaspoon salt (to wash of later)
Cake mix 60 g breadcrumbs 1/2 onion - grated 2 tablespoons / 125 g sweetcorn 1 egg - large 60g feta or Norfeta - crumbled touch seasoning
To coat 3 tablespoons plain flour 2 handfuls / 90g breadcrumbs
To fry 2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
Mix the courgettes with the salt and leave aside for 20 minutes.
Rinse through and then squeeze out any excess water.
Mix with the rest of the cake mix ingredients together.
With damp hands, mould in to 8 small cakes or 4 larger ones.
Meanwhile whisk the flour with enough water to make a dipping batter the consistency of single cream.
To coat each cake - dip in the flour batter shake of excess and then dip in the crumbs pressing the crumbs lightly in to the cakes to ensure they are well coated
Fry in hot oil until golden on both sides – turning down the heat to finish of cooking, allowing an extra few minutes on each side or 5 minutes in the oven.
Tip – For a variation try replacing the courgettes with carrots or celeriac or the feta with ricotta. Did you know – This region produces its own feta cheese called Norfeta made at Willow farm, Nr Wynmondham, Norfolk with local goats milk. Tziki – A Greek yogurt dip. Simply mix 3 tablespoons Greek Yogurt with 5 – 6 finely chopped mint leaves, 1 clove crushed garlic and 4 cm grated cucumber, season to taste and serve. It tastes even better the next day.
Recipe by Zena Leech-Calton—Zena is a Cookery Tutor, Food Influencer and hosts walking food tours in Norwich with over 15 years of experience. IG@love_norwich_food, UTube – @Dyslexic Chef, TikTok @Love Norfolk Food
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